Receiving Environmental Excellence Awards from SAWS CEO Robert R. Puente (right) are (from left) Mike Harris, executive director of the San Antonio Manufacturers Association, and UT Health Science Center San Antonio employees Michael Charleton, Ph.D., assistant vice president for risk management and safety, and Michael Gilmer, M.S., CSP, QEP, CHMM, environmental protection manager.
Printer Friendly Format

The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) recently presented The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio with an Environmental Excellence Award for overall environmental performance. This is the fourth time the Health Science Center has received the award since 2001.

Comprehensive recognition
“The selection of the award recipients is based on information provided in an awards application as well as the Health Science Center’s compliance history with the SAWS Pretreatment Program and our environmental accomplishments,” explained Michael Gilmer, M.S., environmental protection manager in the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS). “The Environmental Excellence Award also emphasizes the importance of environmental stewardship by recognizing best management practices, water conservation practices, pollution prevention and initiatives that are educational, innovative, cooperative, responsive, voluntary and effective,” Gilmer said.

“Our selection letter says: ‘SAWS takes great pride in recognizing those industries that take personal responsibility for the conservation of natural resources,’” Gilmer added.

Water recycling and conservation saves millions of gallons of potable water
In 2008, the Health Science Center began participating in the SAWS water recycling program, in which recycled water provided by SAWS, instead of potable water, is used for landscaping purposes and cooling campus energy plants. The Health Science Center used 31.6 million gallons of recycled water in 2008 on the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Campus and the Greehey Academic and Research Campus. The program was extended to the Medical Arts & Research Center (MARC) in 2009, saving an estimated total of nearly 96 million gallons of potable water.

Redesigned landscaping requires less watering
In addition, the Health Science Center began a water-conserving landscape program a number of years ago in which permanent landscape beds are being redesigned with xeriscape plants, such as cactus and yucca, which use little or no irrigation. Drip irrigation is being incorporated when possible. Trees displaced by construction of the MARC and the South Texas Research Facility have been replanted elsewhere on campus, and brush and tree limbs are turned into mulch for campus flower beds, said David Brahm, assistant director of Facilities Management.

“These efforts have contributed significantly to less water usage, especially in the two years when we had significantly lower rainfall,” said Michael Charlton, Ph.D., assistant vice president for risk management and safety.

For more information about EHS’s national, state and local awards and the continuing efforts to improve the environment, health and safety, visit http://research.uthscsa.edu/safety.